Ink bottle stopper



July 22, 1941 T HIGGlNs 2,250,046

, INK BOTTLE STOPPER Filed March 27, 1940 INVENTOR A ORNEY Patented July22, 1941 INKBOTTLE stroPPE-n 'rraeynigging smithtown Branch, N; Y.,assigner 5 to Higgins Ink Co., Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y. f f

Application March 27, 1940, Serial No. 326,169`

(Crise-57) 1 Claim.

This invention relates to ink bottle Stoppers and more` particularly tothe variety having a conventional quill applicator and a steeple'formanual manipulation in dispensing ink tol nibs of drawing instruments.

The main object of the invention is tor provide a stopper with simpleand inexpensive means for-its eiiectivesealing inthe necki of the bottleand whereby it may be more easily withdrawn after a'period of non-usewithout danger of spilling or breakage.

Another feature is that the same means contributes toward ease ofmanipulation in continuous current use, whereby the employment of onlyone hand is all that is safely required.

A still further object is to provide means for impressing upon the userssenses the orientalll tion of the quill while it is hidden in thebottle,

thus relieving him of the burden of lingering same after withdrawal fromthe bottle to eiiecis considered in connection with the accompanyi;

ing drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a View partially in section of a bottle and stopper embodyingthe invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation ci the stopper in a position at rest on alevel surface.

Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig.V 3.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character ifi denotes a bottleof the conventional drawing-ink variety. The stopper comprises a moldedhead l2, a compressible plug lli secured to the underside of the head,and an applicator i5 also secured 'to and projecting from the undersideof the head. Preferably, the plug Its removal from this -1 position'requires caution." In continuous-use, thestopper is Yobviously notpushed down to this position :after each application. of the quill, butis left substantially midway in order to avoid the needless ,eifort andrisksof repeated withdrawal from the tightly Ysealed home` position.

As will `be vreadily understood, theY initialfremoval from a bottle ofthe stopper after a` period of non-use is quite diiilcult on accountof-the adhering'encrusted. ink accumulation at rthe rim of the bottle.Application of normally manipulating forces is not suilicient.Application of a pull is extremely dangerous in view of the possibilityof a sudden let-go. Bending of the stopper is objectionable and resultsin breakage of the cork.

I have found that under these conditions a torque or twisting action issafest and most effective, but that the heretofore smooth exteriorsurfaces, engageable by the fingers, did not provide sulicient purchaseto eifectuate a breakage of the crust by such twisting. Accordingly, I

have provided projections 22 on the annularshoulder 2 of the headmember. The upper corner of this annular shoulder is rounded as at 26 soas not .to encroach upon effective depth of lthe projections, thecorners of which are also rounded as at 23 to prevent injury to thelingers in applying pressure thereon or in torque application.

The head is preferably made by molding of a suitable thermo-plastic orsetting material. Integrally formed with the head, is a graspablesteeple 3U having a iiattened portion 32 which assists the user in quickapplication of ink from the quill on to instruments. The upper end ofthe quill is molded-in with the head and its free end is sliced toprovide a tongue-like attened tip. It is seen therefore, that bygrasping or observing the Steeple, the orientation of the tip of thequill is discernable. This enables the user to either rotate the bottleinto his particular preferred operating position or to spin the Steeplein his fingers during the motion of his hand in moving from the bottleto the point of ink application, to bring the fiat of the quill tip intoproper orientation at the completion of such motion. This increases theease and speed of inking the instrument and the manual operation becomesalmost unconsciously automatic. After continued use, the old style ofround steeple is irksome. Y

VThe anti-rolling feature is provided by making the projections 22suliiciently extensive so that a three point landing is had; the pointsa on the steeple and b, b of adjacent projection 22; see Figs. 3 and 4.The points b, b are sufficiently far apart as to render a stable supporton an inclined drawing board. This angle of stability on the embodimentshown is the angle 0, which is quite substantial inasmuch as the priorcircular shouldered or even knurled Stoppers are unstable when placed ona flat table.

The bonding of the plug is important in providing the desired seals inhome and usable position. In this connection the underside of the headis provided with a recess 40, from the center of which extends a stub 42integrally formed with the head. The plug which is of yieldable materialsuch as cork, is provided with a bore 44 adapted to receive the stub andbe bonded thereto by suitable adhesive, leaving a space 46 at the bottomof the bore to ease the pressure when the stopper is in positions shortof home position.

VIn home position the stub 42 is Within the neck of the bottle and thuscontributory to effective high pressure sealing, inasmuch as the cork isUsandwiched between the stub and the neck in Y this position. 'I'herecess 40 adds to the areas for bonding between the plug and the headand the additional material iilling this recess 40 helps to cushionexcessive compressive forces on the head in attempts to push the stopperbelow home position.

By this construction the easy deposit and removal of the stopper duringuse (short of home position) and high pressure home sealing isaccomplished.

Having described the preferred embodiment of my invention and having itunderstood that various modifications may be made embracing theinvention in its broader aspects, I claim:

In combination with an ink bottle having a neck and a stopper opening ofa stopper of the character described having a head, a Steeple, a stubprojecting from the underside of the head, a quill anchored in the stub,said head having an annular recess around the stub, a plug ofcompressible material having a bore adapted to receive the stub, saidplug fitting into said annular recess and being adhesively securedtherein and to the surfaces of' said stub, said bore being of depthgreater than the length of said stub and providing a hollow zone, insubstantially the center thereof, said quill projecting through saidspace and the bottom of said plug, said plug being exteriorly conicaland of largest diameter adjacent the head and larger in the said hollowdiameter zone than that of the neck opening and smaller in diameter atthe bottom than the neck opening, said stub being of such length as toproject into therneck of the bottle in its innermost position.

' Y TRACY HIGGINS.

